Takashi Kinoshita revisits the Type B suit with an all-new sculpt! Reproducing the profound, simple design with a realistic approach. The Character Classics series delivers pre-painted finished products that are as close to a masterpiece as possible, using hand-poured resin casting and painting by professional finishers. Following the "Ultraman (Type C)," the Type B now reappears in its latest specification. The Type B was newly sculpted, transitioning from the Type A mask—which had a latex skin over an FRP backing—to a mask fully molded in FRP, with body details also revised. It is the representative suit used most frequently throughout the 39 episodes of "Ultraman," from episode 14 to 29. While Takashi Kinoshita was confident in the "Ultraman (Type B)" released in 2017, he has completely re-sculpted it from scratch, re-evaluating the balance of the entire body. Along with a more dignified standing pose with arms slightly forward and chest puffed out, he has expressed the beauty of the smooth facial features through delicate adjustments, such as a balance that brings out the rounded three-dimensionality of the mask compared to the previous Character Classics Type B. Furthermore, while aiming to capture the atmosphere of the Type B's unique proportions—where the actual suit showed a step from the chest to the waist due to padding underneath, and a distinct bulge in the abdomen from excess suit material—the body line has been sculpted with a sense of definition that also considers the beauty of a hero. By displaying it alongside the currently available Character Classics "Ultraman (Type A)," you can compare the differences in sculpting and feel the evolution of the filming suits that underwent repeated trial and error on set.
Through thorough verification, the features of the filming suit are captured at an almost anatomical level, while appropriate arrangements are added so that when you see the approximately 35cm tall figure, it looks "exactly like the image from the show." Takashi Kinoshita's unique "realistic" sculpting realizes an ideal hero image that transcends mere realism.
The details also reflect a commitment to the hero image. In the show, surgical gloves were cut into rings and worn to hide the seams, but to emphasize the flow of the leg outline, the style is intentionally reproduced as seen in the stills taken immediately after the suit was completed, with the boots as they were.
Equipped with an electronic gimmick, the eyes and Color Timer, reproduced in clear parts, light up. The yellow tint of the eyes, inspired by the 6V 6W miniature bulbs used for bicycle headlights, and the vivid blue of the Color Timer are reproduced using LEDs selected with meticulous attention to color. The mask section, which contains the batteries and switch, can be attached and detached easily and securely with magnets.
Sculptor's Comment I completely re-sculpted the Type B from scratch, reviewing the balance of the entire body. For the mask, compared to the previous sculpt, I reviewed the length and depth of the chin, aiming to create a more rounded three-dimensional effect when viewed from below. Although the body is more modest compared to the Type C, I sculpted it aiming to bring out the atmosphere unique to the Type B, such as the shape of the shoulders and chest, and the slack in the abdomen. In the show, it seems they wore surgical glove cuffs cut into rings to hide the shoe seams at the ankles, but because that disrupts the flow of the leg outline, I intentionally chose the specification from the stills taken right after the suit was completed.
